Method for Manufacturing Ring-Shaped Member

ABSTRACT

The yield rate or the percentage of the weight of the ring-shaped member with respect to the weight of the raw material is improved to achieve the cost reduction of the ring-shaped member. A plurality of longitudinal annular blanks  3  is punched out from a raw material  2  of a predetermined width, and the longitudinal annular blank  3  is molded into an annular ring-shaped member  1.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing a ring-shaped member.

BACKGROUND ART

A ring-shaped member 1 as shown in FIG. 12 has been conventionally manufactured through a method of punching out a plurality of annular ring-shaped members 1 by one column or a plurality of columns by a pressing device from a raw material 2 having a predetermined plate thickness as shown in FIGS. 13( a) and 13(b).

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION Problems to be Solved by the Invention

However, in the conventional manufacturing method, the yield rate or the percentage of the weight of the ring-shaped member 1 with respect to the weight of the raw material 2 is bad, and tends to increase the cost of the ring-shaped member 1.

This is because the material is removed at high percentage of skeleton S1 and slug S2 with respect to the ring-shaped member 1. The “Skeleton” is a frame shaped scrap that remains after punching out a plurality of ring-shaped members 1, and the “slug” is a plurality of scraps punched out and removed with a punch when punching out the plurality of ring-shaped members 1.

The present invention, in view of solving the above problems, aims to provide a method of manufacturing a ring-shaped member that improves the yield rate or the percentage of the weight of the ring-shaped member with respect to the weight of the raw material, and capable of cost reduction.

Means for Solving the Problems

In the method of manufacturing a ring-shaped member according to the present invention, a plurality of longitudinal annular blanks are punched out from a raw material of a predetermined width, and the longitudinal annular blank is molded into an annular ring-shaped member.

According to such configuration, material can be removed such that the percentage of the skeleton and the slug with respect to the ring-shaped member is suppressed low compared to the case shown in FIG. 13, and thus the yield rate or the percentage of the weight of the ring-shaped member with respect to the weight of the raw material can be improved.

In one suitable aspect, the method of manufacturing the ring-shaped member according to the present invention enables material to be removed so that both end edges in the width direction of the blank lie along both ends in the width direction of the raw material when punching out the blank from the raw material. In such case, the blank includes linear parts facing each other at both sides in the width direction and a pair of curved parts for continuing both ends in the longitudinal direction of the linear parts, the outer end edges of the linear parts of the blank can be formed by both end edges in the width direction of the raw material. Accordingly, the material can be removed such that the percentage of the scrap with respect to the longitudinal annular blank is suppressed to a minimum, and in consequence, the yield rate or the percentage of the weight of the ring-shaped member with respect to the weight of the raw material can be further improved.

EFFECTS OF THE INVENTION

According to the present invention, material can be removed such that the percentage of the skeleton and the slug with respect to the ring-shaped member is suppressed low, and thus the yield rate or the percentage of the weight of the ring-shaped member with respect to the weight of the raw material can be improved, and the cost of the ring-shaped member can be reduced.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing a first embodiment of a step of punching out blanks from a raw material.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged front view showing the blank punched out from the raw material of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a plan view showing an embodiment of a state in which the blank is set in a first shaping device.

FIG. 4 is a plan view showing an embodiment of a state in which the deformed blank is molded by the first shaping device.

FIG. 5 is a plan view showing an embodiment of a state in which the deformed blank is set in a second shaping device.

FIG. 6 is a plan view showing an embodiment of a state in which a half-finished article is molded by the second shaping device.

FIG. 7 is a plan view showing an embodiment of a state in which the half-finished article is set in a third shaping device.

FIG. 8 is a plan view showing an embodiment of a state in which the right half portion of the half-finished article is molded into a semicircle by the third shaping device.

FIG. 9 is a plan view showing an embodiment of a state in which the half-finished article is molded into a ring-shaped member by the third shaping device.

FIG. 10 is an enlarged front view showing a second embodiment of a blank.

FIG. 11 is a plan view showing another embodiment of a step of punching out the blank from the raw material.

FIG. 12 is a front view showing one example of the ring-shaped member.

FIG. 13 is a plan view showing the conventional steps of punching out the blank from the material, where 13(a) shows punching out one column, 13(b) shows punching out in parallel.

DESCRIPTION OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

-   1 ring-shaped member -   2 raw material -   2 a ends in width direction of raw material -   3 longitudinal annular blank

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

A preferred embodiment of the method of manufacturing the ring-shaped member according to the present invention will now be described based on the drawings.

As shown in FIG. 1, a plurality of longitudinal annular blanks 3 is punched out in series at a predetermined spacing 1 in the feeding direction by the pressing device while feeding the raw material 2 of a predetermined width and plate thickness in the longitudinal direction of the raw material 2 as shown by an arrow X. The raw material 2 used may be that formed into a plate shaped body by rolling the metal rod material such as copper, aluminum, iron, stainless steel and the like, or that formed as a plate shaped body from the beginning.

The longitudinal annular blank 3 includes linear parts 3 b, 3 c on the left and right sides facing each other with a longitudinal hole 3 a having a small width dimension w1 on the inner side, and a pair of curved parts 3 d continuing both ends in the longitudinal direction of the linear parts 3 b, 3 c, as shown in FIG. 2, and the longitudinal annular blank 3 is set in a first shaping device 4, as shown in FIG. 3.

The first shaping device 4 includes a moving plate 5 and a pair of front and back guide plates 6, where the moving plate 5 is guided by the guide plates 6 to move forward and backward in the left and right direction (direction of arrow X1, X2) by a forward/backward movement mechanism (not shown). The moving plate 5 includes a main body part 5 a, and collar parts 5 b, 5 b formed on both ends in the front and back direction of the main body part 5 a, where the collar parts 5 b, 5 b slidably go under the lower side of the edges 6 a, 6 a at the side facing the opponent in the guide plate 6, and a vertical step difference surface 5 c formed at the boundary of the main body part 5 a and the collar parts 5 b, 5 b is arranged so as to slidably contact the end surface 6 b at the side facing the opponent in the guide plate 6. An inner die 8-1 having a boat shape in a projected plane is projected upward at the central part of the main body part 5 a in the moving plate 5 on the line Y orthogonal to line X. The width dimension w2 of the inner die 8-1 is set to a size slightly smaller than the width dimension w1 of the longitudinal hole 3 a so as to fit into the longitudinal hole 3 a of the blank 3.

A pair of front and back positioning projections 8-2, and two pairs of front and back positioning/deformation tolerating projections 9 are arranged on the guide plate 6 in the first shaping device 4. As mentioned below, the pair of positioning projections 8-2 is provided to prevent the longitudinal annular blank 3 from moving in the direction of the arrow Y1, Y2 and to position the longitudinal annular blank 3 at an appropriate position when the longitudinal annular blank 3 is set in the first shaping device 4, and furthermore, is arranged at symmetrical positions with the line X in between so as to face each other on the line Y orthogonal to the line X, where the distance in between is set to a value slightly larger than the dimension in the longitudinal direction of the longitudinal annular blank 3 to enable the setting of the longitudinal annular blank 3.

As mentioned below, the two pairs of front and back positioning/deformation tolerating projections 9 are provided to prevent the longitudinal annular blank 3 from moving in the direction of the arrows X1, X2 and to position the longitudinal annular blank 3 at an appropriate position as well as to tolerate the deformation of the longitudinal annular blank 3 by an inner die 8-1 when the longitudinal annular blank 3 is set in the first shaping device 4, and is further arranged at symmetrical positions with the line X and the line Y passing through the center of the moving plate 5 in between, where the distance in between in the direction of the line X is set at a value slightly larger than the dimension in the width direction of the longitudinal annular blank 3 to enable the setting of the longitudinal annular blank 3. Each positioning/deformation tolerating projection 9 has a circular arc shaped deformation tolerating surface 9 b formed in continuation to the positioning surface 9 a that is parallel to the line Y.

As shown in FIG. 3, when the longitudinal annular blank 3 is set in the first shaping device 4, an upper die 10 shown by a double-chain dashed line is lowered from above. The upper surfaces of the guide plate 6, the positioning projection 8-2, and the positioning/deformation tolerating projection 9 are thereby pressed by the lower surface of the upper die 10, and the upper surfaces of the blank 3 and the inner die 8-1 face the lower surface of the upper die 10 by way of an extremely small gap (small gap allowing slide movement) thereby preventing a warp of the blank 3.

The moving plate 5 is moved in the direction of the arrow X2 in this state. The inner die 8-1 presses and energizes the linear part 3 c on the right side of the longitudinal annular blank 3 in the direction of the arrow X2 from the inner side to bend in the direction of the arrow X2 as shown in FIG. 4, and subsequently, the moving plate 5 is moved in the direction of the arrow X1 so that the inner die 8-1 presses and energizes the linear part 3 b on the left side (see FIG. 3) of the longitudinal annular blank 3 in the direction of the arrow X1 from the inner side to bend in the direction of the arrow X1 as shown in FIG. 4, where a longitudinal annular blank 3A in which the dimension in the width direction is widened and deformed from the dimension in the width direction of FIG. 3 is molded. In the process of molding, the widening deformation of the linear parts 3 b, 3 c on both left and right sides of the longitudinal annular blank 3 shown in FIG. 3 is tolerated since the outer surface in the width direction of the region near the curved part 3 d of the linear parts 3 b, 3 c is widened until contacting the circular arc shaped deformation tolerating surface 9 b of each of the two pairs of positioning/deformation tolerating projection 9, and the thinning of the widened and deformed part in time of widening deformation can be suppressed since the deformation tolerating surface 9 b is formed into a circular arc shape.

In the next step, the deformed longitudinal annular blank 3A shown in FIG. 4 is set in a second shaping device 11 shown in FIG. 5.

The second shaping device 11 includes a pair of left and right molding outer dies 12, and a pair of front and back regulating dies 13, where the molding outer die 12 is guided by a guide groove 14 and is moved forward and backward in the left and right direction (direction of arrows X1, X2) on the base 15 by a forward/backward movement mechanism (not shown).

The molding outer die 12 includes a mounting surface 12 a and a pressing surface 12 b projecting vertically upward from the mounting surface 12 a and having the projected plane depressed into a circular arc shape, where the curvature radius of the pressing surface 12 b is set to a value larger than the curvature radius of the outer peripheral surface of the curved part 3 d in the deformed longitudinal annular blank 3A. The regulating die 13 is formed at the end face on the side facing the opponent with a regulating surface 13 a having the projected plane depressed into a circular arc shape. Furthermore, a holding inner die 16 projecting upward from the upper surface at the central part of the base 15 and having a boat shape in projected plane view is arranged extending in the direction of the line X, where the width dimension of the holding inner die 16 is set to a dimension slightly smaller than the width dimension of the longitudinal hole 3 e so as to be fitted to the longitudinal hole 3 e of the deformed longitudinal annular blank 3A. A circular arc shaped holding surface 16 a is arranged vertically at both ends on the line X of the holding inner die 16, and a cut-out part 16 b is formed on the lower side of the holding surface 16 a and the vicinity thereof.

As shown in FIG. 5, after the longitudinal annular blank 3A is set in the second shaping device 11 with the holding inner die 16 sandwiched by the linear parts 3 b, 3 c of the deformed longitudinal annular blank 3A and the curved part 3 d and the vicinity of the blank 3A mounted on the mounting surface 12 a of the molding outer die 12, an upper die 17 shown by a double chain-dashed line is lowered from above. The upper surfaces of the regulating die 13 and the holding inner die 16 are pressed by the lower surface of the upper die 17, and the upper surfaces of the longitudinal annular blank 3A and the molding outer die 12 face the lower surface of the upper die 17 by way of an extremely small gap (small gap allowing slide movement) thereby preventing the warp of the blank 3A.

The molding outer dies 12 are moved in the direction of the arrows X1, X2 in this state. The pressing surface 12 b of the molding outer die 12 thereby presses and energizes the outer side of the curved part 3 d of the deformed longitudinal annular blank 3A towards the curved part 3 d on the opponent side. In this case, the mounting surface 12 a of the molding outer die 12 enters the cut-out part 16 b of the holding inner die 16. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 6, both curved parts 3 d are deformed along the pressing surface 12 b when the radial outer surface of large curvature radius is pressed inward from the outer side by the pressing surface 12 b depressed into a circular arc shape of the molding outer die 12 in a state wherein the radial inner surface is slightly pressed and widened by the circular arc shaped holding surface 16 a of the holding inner die 16 and positioned with the movement in the directions of the arrows X1, X2 regulated, and thus “extension” is generated in the radial outer region having large curvature radius and “extension” in the radial inner region having small curvature radius in the curved part 3 d are suppressed as much as possible, thickness of the radial inner region is avoided from being thinned, and furthermore, flow of material that thickens the curved part 3 d is generated so as to alleviate stress concentration at the radial inner region. As a result, both curved parts 3 d can be molded into a large curved part 3D having a large curvature radius advantageous in manufacturing the ring-shaped member 1 without generating cracks at the curved part 3 d, and thus the yield rate or the percentage of the ring-shaped member 1 with respect to the longitudinal annular blank 3A can be improved.

In the process of molding both curved parts 3 d to the large curved part 3D having a large curvature radius, the linear parts 3 b, 3 c in the deformed longitudinal annular blank 3A shown in FIG. 5 are widened in the direction of the arrows Y1, Y2 thereby forming a curved bulge-out-part 3E at the central part, as shown in FIG. 6, where the deformed longitudinal annular blank 3A (see FIG. 5) is regulated from widening in excess in the direction of the arrows Y1, Y2 when the outer surface of the bulge-out part 3E contacts the regulating surface 13 a depressed into a circular arc shape of the regulating die 13, and a half-finished article 18 including a pair of large curved parts 3D of large curvature radius and a pair of curved bulge-out parts 3E, and having the large curved parts 3D and the bulge-out parts 3E continuously connected to each other by way of four short linear parts 3F is molded.

The half-finished article 18 shown in FIG. 6 is further set in a third shaping device 19 shown in FIG. 7 in the next step.

The third shaping device 19 includes a base 20, and an upper plate 21 for blocking the upper surface of the base 20 by way of a spacing in the height direction, where a guide groove 22 is formed in the base 20 on the line X passing through the center, and a moving plate 23 that freely moves forward and backward in the direction of the arrows X1, X2 is fitted into the guide groove 22. The moving plate 23 moves forward and backward in the direction of the arrows X1, X2 by a forward/backward moving mechanism (not shown). The upper surface of the moving plate 23 is in plane with the upper surface of the base 20, and a finishing inner die 24 having an elliptical shape in a projected plane view is arranged at the central part so as to project upward on a line Y passing through the center of the base 20 and being orthogonal to the line X. The finishing inner die 24 faces a window part 25 of a substantially perfect circle formed on the upper plate 21, and the inner peripheral surface of the window part 25 functions as an outer die.

As shown in FIG. 7, when the half-finished article 18 is set in the third shaping device 19, an upper die 26 shown with a double chain-dashed line is lowered from above. The upper surface of the upper plate 21 is thereby pressed by the lower surface of the upper die 26, and the upper surfaces of the half-finished article 18 and the finishing inner die 24 face the lower surface of the upper die 26 by way of an extremely small gap (small gap allowing slide movement) thereby preventing the warp of the half-finished article 18.

The moving plate 23 is moved in the direction of the arrow X2 in such state. The finishing inner die 24 presses and energizes the right half portion of the half-finished article 18 in the direction of the arrow X2 from the inner side and presses the outer peripheral surface of the right half portion against the inner peripheral surface of the right half portion in the window part 25 of a substantially perfect circle, as shown in FIG. 8, thereby molding the right half portion of the half-finished article 18 into a semicircle. Subsequently, the moving plate 23 is moved in the direction of the arrow X1. The finishing inner die 24 thereby presses and energizes the left half portion of the half-finished article 18 in the direction of the arrow X1 from the inner side and presses the outer peripheral surface of the left half portion against the inner peripheral surface of the left half portion in the window part 25 of a substantially perfect circle as shown in FIG. 9, thereby molding the left half portion of the half-finished article 18 into a semicircle to manufacture a ring-shaped member 1 shown in FIG. 9 and FIG. 12.

Therefore, according to the present invention, the ring-shaped member 1 shown in FIG. 9 and FIG. 12 is manufactured by punching out a plurality of longitudinal annular blanks 3 from a raw material 2 shown in FIG. 1, and pressing and widening the longitudinal annular blanks 3 to be molded into an annular shape by first to third shaping devices 4, 11, 19. Therefore, the yield rate or the percentage of the weight of the ring-shaped member 1 with respect to the weight of the raw material 2 can be improved, and the cost of the ring-shaped member 1 can be reduced by removing the material such that the percentage of the skeleton S1 and the slug S2 of FIG. 1 with respect to the ring-shaped member 1 is suppressed lower than the percentage of the skeleton S1 and the slug S2 with respect to the ring-shaped member 1 described in FIG. 13.

Furthermore, each curved part 3 d is deformed along the pressing surface 12 b when the radial outer surface of large curvature radius is pressed inward from the outer side by the pressing surface 12 b depressed into a circular arc shape of the molding outer die 12 in a state wherein the radial inner surface is slightly pressed and widened by the circular arc shaped holding surface 16 a of the holding inner die 16 and positioned with the movement in the directions of the arrows X1, X2 regulated by pressing and energizing the outer side of the pair of curved parts 3 d of the deformed longitudinal annular blank 3A towards the curved part 3 d on the opponent side by the pressing surface 12 b depressed to a circular arc shape of the molding outer die 12 by the second shaping device 11, and thus “extension” in the radial outer region having large curvature radius is suppressed as much as possible, the thickness of the radial inner region is avoided from being thinned, and furthermore, flow of material that thickens the curved part 3 d is generated so as to alleviate stress concentration at the radial inner region. As a result, both curved parts 3 d can be molded into a large curved part 3D having a large curvature radius and advantageous in manufacturing the ring-shaped member 1 without generating cracks at the curved part 3 d, and thus the yield rate or the percentage of the ring-shaped member 1 with respect to the longitudinal annular blank 3A can be improved and the cost of the ring-shaped member 1 can be reduced.

In the above embodiment, the longitudinal annular blank 3 having a small width dimension w1 of the longitudinal hole 3 a is punched out, and such blank 3 is pressed and widened to manufacture the ring-shaped member 1, as shown in FIG. 2, but, as shown in FIG. 10, a longitudinal annular blank 27 having a longitudinal hole 27 a of oval shape in which the width dimension w3 is sufficiently larger than the width dimension w1 of FIG. 2 may be punched out, and such blank 27 may be pressed and widened through the same procedures as the above embodiment to be molded into the ring-shaped member 1. In this case as well, the yield rate or the percentage of the ring-shaped member 1 with respect to the longitudinal annular blank 27 can be improved and the cost of the ring-shaped member 1 can be reduced, similar to the above embodiment.

In punching out a plurality of longitudinal annular blanks 3, 27 from the raw material 2 of a predetermined width, as shown in FIGS. 11( a) and 11(b), material can be removed with both end edges in the width direction of the longitudinal annular blank 3, 27 lying along both ends 2 a in the width direction of the raw material 2. More specifically, the outer end edges of the linear parts 3 b, 3 c in the longitudinal annular blank 3, 27 are formed using both end edges 2 a in the width direction of the raw material 2, and a pair of curved parts 3 d for continuing the pair of linear parts 3 b, 3 c to each other may be formed at both ends in the longitudinal direction by cutting the raw material 2 with the pressing device. Therefore, the material can be removed such that the percentage of the scrap with respect to the longitudinal annular blank 3, 27 is suppressed to a minimum. In other words, the scraps are reduced to the slug S1 punched out and removed by punch in time of punching out the longitudinal hole 3 a, 27 a, and an end plate part 2 x of drum shape existing between the longitudinal annular blanks 3 or blanks 27 arrayed in the longitudinal direction and to be separated away from the raw material 2, as shown by slashed lines in FIGS. 11( a) and 11(b). As a result, the yield rate or the percentage of the weight of the ring-shaped member 1 with respect to the weight of the raw material 2 can be further improved.

The method of manufacturing the ring-shaped member of the present invention also has the following features.

The longitudinal annular blank 3 is molded into an annular shape by pressing the curved part 3 d at both ends in the longitudinal direction towards the opponent side from the outer side. The material can be removed such that the percentage of the skeleton and the slug with respect to the ring-shaped member 1 is suppressed low, and the yield rate or the percentage of the weight of the ring-shaped member 1 with respect to the weight of the raw material can be improved. Furthermore, since the curved parts 3 d at both ends in the longitudinal direction are pressed towards the opponent side from the outer side, the “extension” of the radial inner region having a small curvature radius at the curved part 3 d can be suppressed as much as possible, thinning of the radial inner region is avoided, and furthermore, the flow of material that thickens the curved part 3 d is generated and alleviates the stress concentration of the radial inner region. As a result, cracks are not generated at the curved part 3 d, and the yield rate or the percentage of the ring-shaped member 1 with respect to the longitudinal annular blank 3 can be improved.

The longitudinal annular blank 3 is desirably molded into an annular shape by shaping devices 11, 19 including an inner die 16, 24 and an outer die 12, 25. The ring-shaped member 1 of high quality is thereby efficiently manufactured and cost can be reduced.

Moreover, preferably, the longitudinal annular blank 3 includes linear parts 3 b, 3 c facing each other at both sides in the width direction with the longitudinal hole 3 a on the inner side, and curved parts 3 d for continuing both ends in the longitudinal direction of the linear parts 3 b, 3 c, where the dimension in the width direction of the longitudinal annular blank 3 is widened by pressing and energizing the linear parts 3 b, 3 c by the inner die 8-1 fitted in the longitudinal hole 3 a, and thereafter, the outer side of the curved parts 3 d is pressed and energized towards the curved part 3 d on the opponent side with the molding outer die 12 with the holding inner die 16 fitted into the longitudinal hole 3 a which dimension in the width direction is widened, thereby pressing and widening the curved parts 3 d to large curved parts 3D having a large curvature radius.

Therefore, after widening the dimension in the width direction of the longitudinal annular blank 3 by the inner die 8-1 fitted into the longitudinal hole 3 a and pressing and energizing the outer side of the curved part 3 d toward the curved part 3 d on the opponent side by the molding outer die 12 with the holding inner die 16 fitted into the longitudinal hole 3 a which dimension in the width direction is widened, the curved parts 3 d are pressed inward from the outer side by the molding outer die 12 while being positioned with the movement towards the curved part 3 d on the opponent side regulated by the holding inner die 16, whereby “extension” of the radial inner region having a small curvature radius in the curved part 3 d is suppressed as much as possible, thinning of the radial inner region is avoided, and stress does not concentrate at the radial inner region, so that both curved parts 3 d are readily molded into the large curved parts 3D having a large curvature radius without generating cracks at the curved parts 3 d. 

1. A method of manufacturing a ring-shaped member, wherein a plurality of longitudinal annular blanks is punched out from a raw material of a predetermined width, and the longitudinal annular blank is molded into an annular ring-shaped member.
 2. The method of manufacturing the ring-shaped member according to claim 1, wherein the material is removed such that both end edges in the width direction of the blank lie along both ends in the width direction of the raw material when punching out the blank from the raw material.
 3. The method of manufacturing the ring-shaped member according to claim 2, wherein the blank includes linear parts facing each other at both sides in the width direction and a pair of curved parts for continuing both ends in the longitudinal direction of the linear parts, the outer end edges of the linear parts of the blank being formed by both end edges in the width direction of the raw material. 